This disclosure relates to valves for use in a subterranean well system.
A ball valve is a type of valve that uses a spherical ball as a closure mechanism. The ball has a hole therethrough that is aligned with the direction of flow when the valve is opened and misaligned with the direction of flow when the valve is closed. Ball valves have many applications in well tools for use downhole in a wellbore, for example, as formation tester valves, safety valves, and in other downhole applications. Many of these well tool applications use a ball valve because ball valves can have large through bore for passage of tools, tubing strings, and flow, yet also be compactly arranged, for example, having a cylindrical outer profile that corresponds to the cylindrical outer profile of the remainder of the string carrying the ball valve into the wellbore and presenting few or no protrusions to hang up on the interior of the well.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.